Darkness and Love
by Amari412
Summary: AU, post Into Darkness. A young princess returns to her home planet after the incident with Khan to celebrate her initiation into Star Fleet. But when memories bring an uninvited guest, can she bring him back into the light, or will she be corrupted by his darkness? Kahn/OC


**Light and Darkness  
By: Amari412**

She came back to her home planet something of a hero. Her parents had, at first, been displeased with their only living child's choice to join Star Fleet, but knowing now of her accomplishments and what she lived through, they praised her and the people of her planet sang their praises.

After being officially inducted, Princess Harmony was given permission to return to her home planet, Draconia, to see her parents and people one more time for a few days. There were grand feasts and balls held in her honor, though she was felt almost too reserved for that. In all honesty, the young princess felt she didn't deserve it.

Sure her parents knew all the good things, but they didn't know all the intimate details, which she kept mostly to herself. But the most intimate she kept in her broken heart.

Harmony, princess of Draconia, the only heir of King Drakkus and Queen Morgana, had fallen in love with a criminal, a murderer, and a sadist, only to have this same man, this same…thing…break her heart in the end. She remembered him with pain in her eyes and anger in her heart.

The Draconians were a fairly different race. They were a race of shapeshifters, turning into creatures humans had learn to call dragons. But for the most part they were human like, but retained their signature golden dragon eyes. Harmony herself was beautiful, like the most of her kind, but in her own eyes, she was just…ordinary. Nothing truly set her apart from the rest of her kind, she was like them. When in human like shape her hair was fairly long, usually unadorned, and she kept it down most of the time. It was deep black in color, a quality she got from her mother. To human eyes, she was almost deathly pale, but for those specific Draconians that were like her, it was signature. They were water lovers and so kept the complexion of one constantly in water. She wasn't all that tall, but she wasn't short either, and was rather thin for her age, but strong as well with a slight build. She had a simple heart shaped face with molten gold eyes and pale pink lips that hid sharp fangs behind them. Looking at herself in her mirror, she didn't appear extraordinary. But she let her people rejoice, despite it all.

For tonight's celebration, she decided on wearing a light blue dress a silver collar and cuffs that almost covered her small hands. Around her waist she wore a decorative chain belt with silver drop like pieces seeming to fall from the loops that clung to her tiny waist. Her black hair was straightened to near perfection and decorated with a simply shimmering glitter that looked like little water droplets on each ebony strand. Her shoes were just small brown boots that were covered mostly by the long hem of her dress. Not exactly fit for dancing, but then again, she wasn't in a dancing mood. She wasn't even in a celebrating mood.

_HE_ was on her mind.

"Khan…" his name came out a low growl starting from her chest to her throat and finally out of her mouth.

Harmony had hated him at first. Despised him as much Kirk had. In her eyes, he was a criminal, a murderer. Khan had been someone her people would've spat upon and possibly executed for his deeds. She'd wanted to kill him, but in that time it wasn't up to her. Harmony hadn't been among her people and their laws didn't apply among her fellows on the Enterprise. But Kirk had made a mistake, a mistake that would prove fatal to her later. He gave command for her to guard him. Guard him, but not speak to him.

At first Harmony resisted his attempts at a conversation. He was coy about it, cold and calculated, everything a psychopath would be. For the longest time she simply drowned him out. It wasn't until after Kirk confronted Khan about the torpedoes did she finally lose her drive. She let her guard down at his one display of emotion. His sorrow, his pain, it was a knife in her heart that brought agony to her. When the captain finally left, Harmony had dared to say one thing.

"_I'm sorry" she muttered, hoping he wouldn't hear her. _

_Unfortunately he did. Khan looked at her, stoic again as ever. Harmony didn't dare look at him, fearing her resolve would weaken further. It didn't matter, as it was weak enough now as it was. When he spoke again, Harmony swore she felt her heart skip a couple beats. _

"_What was that?" he asked, as if he hadn't heard her.  
The princess hesitated. "For what it's worth…I'm sorry".  
"It had nothing to do with you. Why do you take the blame for what is not your fault?"  
"Because nobody else feels the blame, nor wants to take it. Someone has to".  
"But that someone does not have to be you…Princess". _

_Harmony turned around, shocked now that he knew her title, possibly her secret. She growled. _

"_How do you know that?!" she demanded.  
"You are Draconian, I can tell just by looking at you. Your eyes tell me all I need to know".  
"Then I'm scared to know what else you know about me".  
"I can tell you things that you may not know yourself"._

"Harmony?"

The sound of her mother's voice brought her out of her flashback. She turned to the door way where she saw her lovely raven haired mother standing, her arms folded in the wide sleeves of her gold and black gown. Unlike her daughter, Queen Morgana wasn't pale. Fire Draconians never were. Their skin was warm and tanned from the heat they thrived upon. But besides that, the two looked nearly identical.

"Mother" Harmony bowed her head reverently.  
"Are you coming? The people are waiting to celebrate your victory. We know you depart again tomorrow, and I will understand if you wish to rest instead of celebrate".  
"I will join you" Harmony said with tranquility perfectly masking her tumultuous, raging feelings, "I just need a moment of time and I shall join you and Father".  
"Of course. I shall leave you to your thoughts, dearest. But, is there…anything troubling you?"  
Harmony shook her head. "Of course not. If I seem troubled, it is only because I know I will miss being amongst my family and my people. Do forgive me".  
"We shall see you shortly then".

With that, the queen left her daughter's chamber to join her husband and subjects, leaving the young princess to her thoughts. She sighed as another memory came to her.

"_Why did you wish to come here?" he asked as she sat by the containment cell.  
"I want to do great things. I want to live my life helping others and protecting my people as one day I'll have to do it, most likely on my own for a long time".  
"Something tells me you will be a great queen, Harmony, is it?"  
"Yes" she stood and turned to face him, "I am Harmonia, but those who know me call me Harmony, princess of Draconia and thank you".  
"No thanks is needed for the truth, Harmonia. You love your people as much as I love my own".  
"Tell me something, Khan" Harmony looked right in his eyes, "Do you even know the meaning of the word love? You don't seem the type who would use that term too often".  
"You think of me as heartless" he didn't bother to make it a question.  
"Yes, in some ways I do. But I know everyone has reasons for that kind of behavior".  
"Tell me something, Harmonia. What do you think my reasons are?"  
"I know your reasons".  
"If you did not know, what do you think they would be?"  
"Perhaps you were trying to protect yourself. You've been alone all this time, Khan, looking out for no one except yourself. You don't get close to anyone I'd think because, and you may think I'm mad because of this, but I'd think it was because you were afraid".  
"And what would you assume that I had to fear?"  
"Forgive me my boldness, Khan, but I'd think you were afraid of getting hurt, of losing someone you got close to…like you lost your people". _

The next thing Harmony knew she was sitting on the small throne she had between her parents, the three of them holding hands and sitting united as a family. She knew this would be one of the last few times she possibly would, and had no desire to leave them in that moment. Harmony watched her people dance in the great hall, joyously. She found herself wishing she felt their same joy now but _HE_ was clouding her mind. Thoughts of him, what they had, or at least what she thought they had, and what could've been bombarded her mind and hurt her heart. Harmony's eyes stung with unshed tears, but she wouldn't let them fall now, not in front of all she held dear. _  
_

Suddenly a voice rang in her head. A voice she once loved to hear, but now she dreaded it.

_Harmonia…_

"No" she breathed inaudibly.  
_Harmonia…come to me.  
_Harmony shook her head. "No".  
_Harmonia come to me…love me…_

Was he…pleading with her? The voice sounded so longing and wistful. It was soft, holding no malignant undertone. It was just a man, a man pleading for love. But Harmony remembered all too well the pain he caused her and stayed where she was.

_Please, Harmonia, come to me. Talk to me. Just look at me. At least come to look at me. It has been too long. _

At last, Harmony broke free of her parent's hold and excused herself. Quietly she made her way outside to the gardens, where the stars and a couple of dimly lit candle lamps were her only means of light. The lights made her think of yet another memory.

_He was in the med bay now. Harmony didn't leave him, as she couldn't bring herself to nor had the captain ordered her to. When they were alone, they finally spoke again. Harmony felt a warm hand on her own, and she laced her fingers with his quietly. Slowly she looked up at him only to find he was looking straight ahead. _

"_You are afraid. I can feel you tremble" he said simply.  
"I'm afraid of a lot things, Khan".  
"What is your most prominent fear?"  
"To be honest I haven't really decided on that one".  
"What about at this current moment? What do you fear, Harmonia? Don't lie".  
"It's funny, because I fear multiple things right now. Dying…losing my one chance to be something great…" she went quiet, "Losing you…"  
"You fear losing me?".  
"Yes".  
"Why?".  
"Do you always need a reason for everything?"  
"You claim to know my reasons. Now I want to know yours".  
"Because I know only you can help us".  
"Is that the only reason, Harmonia? Something else troubles you".  
"It's nothing. Nothing you would care about".  
"If I did not care I would not ask. Tell me".  
"I think I'm crazy, but…I've grown to care for you, Khan" Harmony sighed, "More than I know I should". _

_Silence reigned for a moment. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it didn't feel good either. The grip on her hand tightened slightly. It was comforting, not forceful. To be honest, it was…sweet. _

"_Are you saying that you have grown to love me, princess?" he asked finally. _

_Harmony turned and found he was gazing at her now, his keen blue eyes full of something she didn't know, couldn't explain. In that moment he was only just a man. Not a fugitive, not a criminal, but a man. A man who had lost everything. A man she hoped maybe, just maybe, she could redeem and bring him to the light. _

"_Yes" she answered silently. _

_She couldn't possibly know how he felt when she said that, but it wasn't hard to guess. His hand left hers and cupped her face so she was looking right in his eyes. They had gone…soft. His face had been deprived of emotion before but now it was different. Once again, he was an ordinary man. His hand moved up her face when she didn't look away and he leaned down just a little to catch her lips in a kiss. Harmony's heart pounded like a sledgehammer in her chest and she was almost sure he could feel it. Khan deepened the kiss, actually putting his arms around her and pulling her close to him, as if he wanted to make her one with him…_

She'd almost let the tears out at the memory. But she wouldn't let him see her like that. Among the beautiful planted gardens of the Draconian palace, she found him. He didn't face her, not at first at least.

He hadn't changed a single bit since last she saw him. His hair was still that same dark color, still the same height, and she could still feel that same strength that radiated from him like the heat of a sun. He still gave off that same mysterious, animalistic vibe he'd given off before. It was like…like he was frozen in time. He'd never change. He was always this and was always going to be this. He wore his usually all dark clothes under a long leather coat. How he got past the guards of the palace was beyond her, but then again, Khan was no ordinary man.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart" she said at last.  
"I expected this reception from you, Harmonia. And I can give you one very good reason".  
"And that is?"  
"You still have feelings for me".  
"Go to hell" she replied simply, hissing angrily between words.  
"Where do you think I have been, Harmonia, since we saw each other last? Every day without you is hell".  
"Stay there then. You should've thought of that before…before you betrayed me. Betrayed us".  
"Harmonia, I came here to ask your pardon for all of this. I know for a fact that I have severely hurt you, and for that I will never forgive myself, but I cannot stand by and watch as you allow yourself to be used by Star Fleet. They will use you, Harmonia, and you will lose everything. Just as I did".  
"What exactly do you want, Khan?"  
"For you to run away. To forget this foolishness, so we can be one again, this time permanently. I will never leave you again, Harmonia. It was a necessary mistake. I lied. I had to lie, to protect us, even if it hurt you in the process".  
"I don't want your protection! I don't want you anymore, Khan! You had your chance and you ruined it. Do you realize the hell that I myself go through every day, EVERY DAY! Every day I'm reminded of you. I'm haunted by you, by short little memories of you, and thoughts about what might've happened if you just believed that someone could want you, and not want anything of you. You are a coward, Khan".  
"I will not lie. You were right about one thing: Yes, I was afraid and my fears were confirmed upon my false rejection of you, but rest assured I have been yours all this time, Harmonia. That is something I swear to you will never change".  
"What does change about you? You're never going to be anything except to this. You're still a sadist, a murderer, a liar…and the…the…the monster who broke my heart".  
"And in doing so broke my own".  
Harmony scoffed. "I think you have no heart, Khan. And I can't believe I once had the mind to give you mine. Leave….now. Make sure we never cross paths again because I will spend the rest of my life, whether a Star Fleet officer, or queen of Draconia, hunting you down. And I will stop at nothing until you are cold and lifeless under my claws. Don't believe me? Try me".  
"You do not have it in you to hurt me, Harmonia. I think you still want to give me your heart if you truly think me heartless. You wanted to change me, to bring me back to the light. The problem is, I was never in it".  
"You had your chance. Anyone can change their destiny. You know that. I understood that you were upset over what happened to your crew, to your people, but mass murder is never going to bring you or them any peace".

He looked thoughtful for a moment and Harmony continued.

"Please Khan, for what was once between us, if it meant anything to you, if you want me to give this up, give THIS up. This revenge, this plan of mass genocide. Please…for me. For us. If you want me to forgive you, to take you back, don't do what I think you're going to do, what I fear you're going to do. Please" Harmony trembled as she said this.  
Khan shook his head. "I cannot. It was what we were created for, Harmonia. All I am asking is you take me as I am, do not try to change me because I cannot and will not".  
"Just because you were created for a purpose doesn't mean you can't change it. You're in control of your own destiny. So take control of it! You don't have to do anything! You could forget about this, find some planet and work at the repopulation of your people and finally when you feel like that's done…you can come back for me and I will come with you willingly and filled with pride knowing that you changed your life for me and for your people. You could have everything you ever wanted, including me again. Please Khan…Come back to me" her eyes stung again.  
"Harmonia…"  
"Please!" she didn't bother to hold them back anymore.

Her resolve, once again, broke for him. She sobbed unashamedly, not caring if it ruined the little make up she wore. Harmony felt the urge to shift, to become a dragon, but did her best to ignore it. She never wanted to turn in front of him again. Even though it was still her, she felt like a monster in that form. Harmony turned away from her former lover, not wanting him to see her tears or hear her sobs, but it was too late. She was weak and if there was anything Khan was good at it, it was exploiting weakness and using it to his advantage.

"Harmonia…" her name was so natural coming from him, a longing whisper.

Harmony ignored it, or at least pretended to. But his presence was as strong as he physically was and she was surprised to feel his strong arms lock around her and pull her in tight. Harmony felt his warm breath on her ear, his heart beating in his chest against her back.

"Harmonia…tell me you love me" he whispered again like it was some sort of secret.  
"No" she shook her head, "I'd be lying".  
"No you would not. Say it. You do not need to lie to me or to yourself now. Tell me, Princess Harmonia, how do I make you feel?"  
"Scared…confused…strangely warm…but dark at the same time. It's like…like you're corrupting me. Getting me to think and feel like you".  
"Tell me you love me still. Tell me that your heart is still mine. Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth".  
"You don't know how to love, Khan".  
"If that is what you believe then teach me. Pity me if you cannot love me again. I will give you everything that is in my power to give".  
Harmony turned her head slightly so she could see just a little of his face. "The only thing you can give me, Khan, is darkness".  
"Darkness indeed" he kissed her head and then her cheek, "But love as well".  
"Darkness and love?"  
"Yes. Darkness, and love".

**A/N: Man, the first Star Trek fic I've written in almost four years! I know I kinda left it on a cliffhanger, but I'm just gonna let you guys think of a right ending in your minds. I may make a sequel to this but I don't know, it's a thought. I hope you guys liked it and if you did please review. Thanks**


End file.
